UCLA finally decided to part ways with men’s basketball coach Steve Alford on Sunday following a disappointing run with the program, and the timing may not be a coincidence.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reports that UCLA has been eyeing former Chicago Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg as a potential replacement for Alford.
There have been persistent rumbles in NBA coaching circles that UCLA would pursue former Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg if it parts ways with Steve Alford … which appears increasingly imminent. Whether Hoiberg can be lured back to the college game remains to be seen …
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 31, 2018
Coaches who are highly sought after at the collegiate level typically are not available in the middle of a season, but it just so happens that Hoiberg was fired by the Bulls earlier this month. While reports have indicated he still wants to coach in the NBA, he would probably have his pick of several top jobs if he chose to return to college.
Hoiberg made a name for himself with the tremendous success he enjoyed at Iowa State, where he had an overall record of 115-56 and led the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament four years in a row. He’s just 46 and could probably find another opportunity in the NBA, but the state that he left the Bulls in may not help his resume.
UCLA is under enormous pressure to make the right hire with its next basketball coach, and Hoiberg would undoubtedly be a popular choice. Whether he’s interested or not remains to be seen.
